If your social feeds feel weirdly familiar lately, you’re not imagining it. According to pop culture watchers, 2026 is shaping up to be a full-on throwback to 2016 — from beauty looks and kitchen gadgets to smart tech and toys that once dominated the internet. Nostalgia is having a moment this year.
Sign up for the BestReviews newsletter: Exclusive deals and expert picks, in your inbox.
Part of the appeal is comfort — 2016 was peak Instagram-era optimism. Now, as trend cycles speed up and burnout sets in, shoppers are gravitating toward products that feel familiar, functional and fun again — even if we already owned them once.
In this article: Anastasia Beverly Hills - Glow Kit, Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker and Amazon Echo Dot
Below, we break down the biggest 2016-era trends making a comeback in 2026, along with products shoppers are loving as they recreate the simpler times of a decade ago.
In 2016, beauty trends were bold, sculpted and made for Insta. Matte lips, statement brows and glowy highlighter ruled the tutorials we all watched online, so in 2026, those same looks are resurfacing — but slightly refined.
Anastasia Beverly Hills - Glow Kit
This highlighter palette features multiple shimmering shades designed to be mixed or worn alone, with a luminous finish you can wear on your cheeks, eyes or body — perfect for recreating the ultra-glowy highlight trend from 2016.
Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil Ultra-Fine Brow Defining
This ultra-fine brow pencil is designed for precise, hair-like strokes with a retractable tip and built-in spoolie, making it easy to define, shape and fill brows, helping you achieve the bold yet controlled brow look that dominated mid-2010s makeup.
Boy Brow is a creamy brow pomade designed to thicken, shape and groom brows in one step. Its brush coats each hair evenly for a fuller, natural finish, making it a modern staple for the fluffy-but-defined brow trend revived from 2016.
Kylie Matte Lip Kit - 808 Kylie by Kylie Cosmetics
This two-piece set includes a matte liquid lipstick and matching lip liner designed to work together. The long-wearing, highly pigmented formula is an easy way to recreate the iconic matte lip looks that first went viral during Kylie Jenner’s breakout era.
Subscribe to BestReviews on Substack for the top trending product news of the week.
If you cooked at home in 2016, chances are you owned at least one viral kitchen gadget. Pressure cookers and spiralizers promised healthier, faster meals — and now, as home cooking surges again, those same tools are back on counters everywhere.
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker
This multifunction electric pressure cooker was the breakout kitchen star of 2016. It became the top-selling item on Amazon’s Prime Day with over 200,000 units sold in one day.
Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer
This countertop spiralizer features five interchangeable blades for creating different noodle shapes. It also suctions to the countertop for stability so you can zoodle efficiently.
Lodge Preseasoned Cast-Iron Skillet Set
This set includes three preseasoned cast-iron skillets in different sizes. Cast-iron pans came back with a vengeance in 2016, and these are ready to use right out of the box on the stovetop, oven or grill.
Voice assistants officially went mainstream in 2016. Amazon’s Alexa-powered devices promised hands-free music, timers and smart home features, and by the end of the year, millions of households had an Echo on the counter. In 2026, smart speakers are once again trending as home tech feels accessible and useful, not overwhelming.
This compact smart speaker features Alexa voice control in a smaller footprint. With improved sound quality for its size, it supports routines, smart home devices and hands-free assistance.
Few toys captured 2016 quite like Hatchimals. The thrill of nurturing a mystery creature until it hatched turned playtime into an event — and now, interactive surprise toys are back.
Hatchimals Mystery, Hatch 1 of 4 Fluffy Interactive Mystery Characters
This interactive toy features a mystery character hidden inside an egg that “hatches” through play. It responds to touch and care with sounds and reactions as it grows.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
